Weak With Love
by soft kitty of doom
Summary: From their first meeting — to the moment Narcissa Malfoy walked away.


**Written for QueenDemeter for the Birthday Club at The Golden Snitch forum. I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Les!**

 **Thank you, Cel (CelestiaRosegold) for beta'ing!  
**

* * *

When Narissa was fourteen — old enough to talk like she knew the world and young enough to bluff her way through it — she caught the eye of a boy. Blonde hair, arrogant smile, and the quiet son of the Malfoys. She wasn't _obviously_ staring unlike the few other starry-eyed witches standing beside her, but it was enough that he gave her a knowing smirk as they stood across from each other in dueling positions, waiting for their Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to give them the signal to begin,

Narcissa pondered to herself while flipping her wand; there was something about this boy.

 _"Begin!"_

In that single moment, she figured it out. The young man needed some manners. Perhaps... even a little bruising to his ego to make him a bit more humble.

The Black family was more than capable in fighting, historically, and Bella often asked her to duel her for practice. She felt confident as she twisted her wrist with a sharp spell on the tip of her lips.

Lucius Abraxas Malfoy gave a gallant fight, but in the end, he was still flipped on his back and faceplanted on the ground in the first five minutes. The sniggering of the classroom was probably a bit more bruising to his ego than she had intended, but she had beaten the king off of his high horse.

That boy was _weak._

* * *

At sixteen, Narcissa was asked out to Hogsmeade by the blond git — otherwise known as Malfoy. He stood in front of her with a satisfied smile and manners that were more fake than Bellatrix being comforting on a good day.

She almost said yes.

Why not? He was a pureblood so she knew that her parents would have no problems with the arrangement, if word ever got back to them and knowing the dozens of relatives scattered throughout the school, it no doubt would. He was attractive — surprisingly so.

Narcissa let her lips curl up into a sharp smile. "No. You have to try harder."

Once again, she left with this weak boy gaping at her and a sense of pride growing inside of her.

* * *

Narcissa pressed a firm hand on her wedding dress, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles. Strangely enough, she wasn't nervous. Saddened, perhaps. All she had was Bellatrix complaining about the flowers, and her mother was further away from her than she had ever been as a child. _  
_

Not that she would expect her family to be anything but unsettling on her wedding.

 _Andromeda..._

She thought about her older sister wistfully. _Her wedding was probably beautiful.  
_

Then she thought about Lucius.

The boy she knocked flat on his back, the one she told to try harder if he wanted to have anything to do with her.

She pushed back a stray blonde hair that had escaped from under her veil. Try he did. Weeks and months of asking her, he would wait for her at the bottom of the Slytherin dorm steps and ask her. To the point that she finally gave in. After encouragement from her parents, unfortunately.

It hadn't been the worst decision in her life.

Lucius understood her.

Maybe she didn't love him yet, but — she could see herself falling head over heals for him.

Maybe he was weak, but — she could change that about him.

She gave a crooked smile at herself in the mirror. This time it was her turn to try hard.

* * *

"You did _nothing._ "

Narcissa had no strength in her left to even glare at her husband, weak, nervous, and almost dead in spirit. The Dark Lord wasn't powerless just yet, but the return of the Potter boy had hardened her resolve. The whole blasted army was nothing more than some lost fool waving dark curses in the air and killing children. She could feel the Dark Mark on her arm burning painfully — their leader was _angry_ and it did nothing to calm her own turmoil.

"Cissa, please." He was pleading with her. "If we leave now, he — "

"He is finished. I'm finished. I trust Potter can take care of the rest." She twisted her arm out of his grip and stood by her son, who had staring shakily at both of his parents for the past few minutes.

Lucius gave a small look of apprehension at where the duel was about to take place. "I — can't leave and have my loyalty questioned again."

"Then don't." Narcissa closed her eyes. "Don't follow us."

"Cissa?"

"Save your family name, but in reality, it's already burned to cinders." Narcissa curled her hand around Draco's wrist, tugging him forward. "Let's go, Draco."

Her son didn't argue and followed her silently. Narcissa tried to ignore the urge to stand by her husband, the urge that was growing smaller the futher she walked away. She forced her hand that wasn't gripping Draco's wrist to stop shaking.

That man was still weak.

And she loved him.

Even she couldn't change that.


End file.
